J.R. Briggs

How to Study the Bible: Five Basic Questions

January 15, 2009 // No Comments »

Oftentimes we can approach the Scriptures with fear and trepidation.
It can feel intimidating.
It can feel boring.
It can feel outdated.
It can seem confusing.
Sometimes I feel that way, too.

I hear comments from people – sometimes on a weekly basis – such as, "I've never been to seminary…I'm lost in the Bible" or "I don't even know where to start" or "I just flip open my Bible and start reading, but I don't even know what I am supposed to be doing." With great regularity I hear this significant and foundational question: "How do I study my Bible?"

If you have asked these questions before, you are not alone.

For the past several years I have used five basic questions when I read the Bible.
I forget where I got these questions but they have been valuable tools for studying Scripture.
I think it works for me – and others – because of their simplicity.

These questions can be used by seminarians and scholars, as well as with those confused about the Bible and those who have never studied the Bible before. (A few weeks ago I taught a new believer to use these five questions when he reads his Bible).
They can be asked when reading a few verses or entire chapters.
They can be utilized in personal study times or in a Bible study, house church or faith community.

Consider using these questions as you explore the Scriptures:

Posted in Scripture

What would Jesus say to…?

January 14, 2009 // 3 Comments »

I've been thinking a lot about the news lately.
It's been making me wonder: What would Jesus say to…

…Rod Blagojevich?
…contestants on American Idol?
…Osama bin Laden?
…athletes on the Cardinals, Eagles, Steelers and Ravens?
…Hammas?
…Obama?

Posted in Uncategorized

Rethinking the Christian Approach to Hell

January 12, 2009 // 15 Comments »

Ever seen people picketing on the street corner holding a sign with something about hell written on it?

I remember a time a few years ago in Colorado Springs when I saw a "Christian" who was picketing, holding a sign that said, Burn in Hell
Sinners as he yelled venomous messages of hatred to passersby on the
street, justifying it by saying that the prophets of old spoke of
destruction and ruin and so should we.
"Aren't we to call people to repentance?" he shot back at me when I had asked him why he was doing this and if he thought it was effective.
"Hell is about repentance!" he said confidently.
This is why the world knows more about what Christianity is against than what it is for.

Ever done a study on the word "hell" in the Scriptures? The past few weeks I've been doing a word study on it.

I'm not sure why I have never done a word study on hell before. Maybe its because I've always believed in the fact that there is a hell – ultimately believing that it is eternal separation from the presence of God Almighty. But I've also been embarrassed by the ways that Christians have abused, misinterpreted and misrepresented hell.

As I was doing this study I had the image of this picketer in my mind's eye.
What I found during this study surprised me.
Here's what I found…

Euphemism for Hell: Sometimes when Jesus taught he used a euphemism for hell, which he
described as a place where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Jesus used that euphemism six times in Matthew (8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13;
24:51 and 25:30) and one time in Luke (13:28). Each of those times were
when he was telling stories – and almost entirely when speaking to his
disciples.

One of the biblical words for hell is gahenna, which refers to the
Hinnom Valley just outside of the city walls in Jerusalem. When I
studied for a semester in Israel I spent many an afternoon running
around barefoot in the lush grass playing Ultimate Frisbee with other
students.It's a beautiful park today, but thousands of years ago it was an awful place. Absolutely awful.

The Hinnom Valley was said to be a place where trash and refuse was
taken outside of the city and where there were fires burning at all
times. It was also at this place where pagans went and sacrificed their
infant children in this valley to the gods, specfically the god Molech
as an act of worship – a detestable place! Shouts and screams and
shrieks would come from this valley, as one would only imagine in
seeing and hearing infants sacrificed and thrown into fire by their own
parents!Historians recorded that wild animals would wander around eating the remains. It was said that these wild animals would gnash their teeth together as they would wander around looking for food.

A place of fire…where there is weeping…and gnashing of teeth. The Valley of (ben) Hinnom. Check out these references to the Hinnom Valley in the Old Testament. When Jesus used the phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth" it would have drudged up horrific images in the minds of those Jewish listeners who knew exactly what he was referring to… Jesus intended to make a graphic, detestable point that turned the stomachs of those who were in earshot.

Other words for hell: In addition to the Hinnom Valley or gahenna, there are other words that have been used for hell. One is the Old Testament word sheol (translated in the Revised Version as "lowest pit," "pit" or "grave" and found many times in Genesis, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Deuteronomy and the Psalms). Another word used for hell has been hades.

Explicit mention of hell in the New Testament: Explicitly, hell is mentioned only fourteen times in the Bible [twelve times by Jesus in the gospels - Matthew (7), Mark (3), Luke (2) - and once in both James and 2 Peter].

Here is the context around each of those fourteen references of hell:

Reflections on the explicit mention of hell: Here are some conclusions that can be drawn from the passages I just listed.

-when Jesus spoke about hell he used it mostly to teach and instruct (nine times he used it to teach as a rabbi to his disciples) not to rebuke or call people to repentance.
-he uses it in story format when talking to the religious experts
-He was most emotional around the religious. The only time he talks about hell when ripping on people was with the most religious people in the land – the Pharisees.
And finally – catch this – Jesus never mentions hell to those who are irreligious.
Not once. Yeah, seriously. Look it up.

Not to the women caught in adultery, nor the woman at the well. Not the lepers. Not to Zacchaeus nor the other oppressive tax collectors eating at his house. Not to the man who cut himself, lived in a cave and was demon-possessed. Jesus spoke about hell only around those who are religious; those who thought they had their act together, who were striving to have all of their religious ducks in a row, who dotted their spiritual i's, who carefully minded their moral p's and q's.

Which has some seriously implications for those of us who are attempting to follow in the ways – and The Way – of Jesus and raises many questions regarding how we speak of hell to those who are far from God.

Makes me want to say to the picketing guy on the street who thinks he is doing something that honors God: put your sign away.

All this makes me believe that we might need to rethink our approach to hell.
Do I believe there is a hell?

Of course.

Do I think we need to be soft on repentance or we need to shy away from it because its politically incorrect?

No, but I do think that we need to understand our context and communicate the message of Jesus that gives a clear and accurate portrayal of who he was – with compassion and truthfulness.

But do I believe that as Christians that we need to rethink our approach to this topic?

Hell yes.

Posted in Faith

A Prayer by Erwin McManus

January 9, 2009 // 1 Comment »

A friend sent me this prayer (thx Loren) recently and is worth sharing.

Posted in Faith

Stories that inspire more stories

January 7, 2009 // No Comments »

Here's something I wrote over on our Renew website.
I love our launch team!

Also, there is an article in this morning's Reporter highlighting Renew's efforts to start a Farmer's Market in Lansdale. Read the brief article here.

Posted in Uncategorized

Bored meetings? No way…

January 6, 2009 // 3 Comments »

Last night we had a Renew board meeting.
I've written before on past board meetings we've had.
I know it sounds twisted, but I actually look forward to these board meetings.

Last night was no exception.

Before we jumped into decisions that needed to be made and tasks that needed to get ticked off the agenda I started our time by asking the question, "How are we doing – really?"

One of us shared the deep sense of woundedness over feelings of betrayal in a relationship.
One of us shared the difficulty of extending forgiveness to someone who has hurt them badly.
One of us shared that life feels like a rollercoaster – so many highs and lows in a short amount of time.
One of us shared that life seems so difficult right now.
One of us shared the feeling of purposelessness in their job (thankfully that wasn't me…)

What I thought would be a ten minute conversation ended up being an hour and a half of sharing from the depths.
It was difficult to hear.
Messy stuff.
Tough stuff.
Tears.
Listening.
Honest sharing.
Silence.

As hard as it was to hear all the junk that's going on in each of our lives I found myself thanking God for the privilege of walking authentically through life with these guys.
I found myself thinking Man, I wouldn't want it any other way!
I am thankful that it isn't a board that is all business – that it's much bigger than that.

It's sharing who we are with each other in the context of attempting to lead Renew faithfully and humbly and courageous and wisely. What an honor.

Then we finally jumped into the to-do list.
We reflected on all the many ways God has shown himself faithful at Renew in the last six months.
And we bagged on each other, laughing so hard our sides were splitting and we were crying.
And we ended the evening on our knees in prayer spending time solely thanking God for all that he had done, is doing and will continue to do in our lives and through this newly forming faith community of Renew.

What a privilege that we can cry in the midst of deep heartbreak and cry in the midst of such incredible laughter all in the same board meeting as we deal with kingdom issues.

I am so grateful for these guys!

Posted in Uncategorized

Denise: an adventure of hope with brain cancer

// 1 Comment »

Megan and I are friends with Jim and Denise Castle.
Jim and Denise were a part of our ministry in Colorado and financially support us now with Renew.
Denise, an older, compassionate, progressively-thinking follower of Jesus, was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer on the last day of 2008.

In the midst of the shock of it all, she's courageously facing this battle in 2009.
Denise will be chronicling her journey with brain cancer on her newly created blog, appropriately titled Adventures in Hope.

Follow along with me on Denise's blog.
Jim and Denise: we're behind you both on this hopeful adventure!

Posted in Life

Nintendo Wii: the icon of consumerism at its worst

January 5, 2009 // 9 Comments »

I love the Wii, but this video is just plain unsettling.
Prepare to be disturbed.

After watching the video I found myself asking…
-why am I repulsed by this video? Is it just me? Am I a scrooge?
-what would children in other continents of the world think if they saw this video?
-how will these kids think about their Wii in a month? six months? next Christmas?
-how, as followers of Jesus, are we to help provide an appropriate balance between being generous and enjoying things – like a Wii – without allowing it to become unhealthy?

Watch it here.

Posted in Life

Give Me a Story

// 1 Comment »

I've mentioned this poem before, but its worth posting again at the start of this new year.
Uber-blogger Andrew Jones wrote this poem at a conference in 2001.
Each time I read it I am challenged by the implications of the Story of God and Man and the weighty responsibility to not only be missionaries in our context, but also effective storytellers of the gospel in our culture.

Give Me A Story
you want a statement to sum up the mission of God
go ahead
find your statement
make one up to help you
feel secure inside your safety cage of words
belted in by cords of cliches
locked up by logos lifted from sunday school memories

but give me a story
give my friends a story
so that they are not sentenced to meaningless lives

dont give me a story that I can easily believe in
give me a script that I struggle to understand
that stretches my faith,
that demands life insurance
give me a story that will rip me from my career
and pummel me into a quest beyond my capabilities
i need something worth dying for
i have most of my life left to give
but I need a story worthy of my investment

give me a story that I can touch
and smell
a story with real people
a story with a face.
a story with my face
my role
my place
my script
because I am
preselected to be a player
in this story that rolls its plot out in front of me
likearunawaycarpetunravellingfasterthanicanrun
in more directions than I can predict
in more colors than I can comprehend
a story that woos out my potential
and calls me
out of myself
to be who I really am

give me A story
give me THE story
give me MY story

tell me that God is bigger than you
BIGGER than your statements of ink
BIGGER than your powerpoint animations
than your projections of numbers
that make you impressed
but that make God stoop

give me a story that
makes me gloriously
a l i v e
to the purpose of God
makes me run without breath to keep up with His spirit
and at the same time
inviting me to
dance slowly
erotically
with
God
in an
end
les
s

m
o
m
e
n
t

of warm passion
nesting me in peace
and safety

tell me the story in new words
so that I dont trip over lame phrases of impotence
so that my mind does not vanillarize
over trivial expressions
used mindlessly by millions
who use words to steal mystery
from a transcendent God
who speaks freshly
with new mercies every morning
!surprises!
that awaken me from sleep mode
that spark in me new thoughts
dreams of impossible feats
daring adventures
miracles of the Almighty
performed by the hands
and prayers
of backstreet
backstage
people
in goodwill rags

you want a statement?

go ahead
i dare ya
double-dare ya
to box up The Omnipotent
to catch the Spirit of God
to nail the Son
on a cross-word puzzle

go ahead and try
but I wont hold my breath
and you wont hold the mission of God on a bumper sticker

Posted in Faith

House Churches in this morning’s Intelligencer

January 4, 2009 // No Comments »

There is a short article on Renew's house churches in this morning's (Doylestown) Intelligencer.

The article gives a pretty good picture of what we're striving to do with house churches.
When the reporter and I talked, we discussed house churches, but I also mentioned that house churches are part of our "dual expression of church," mentioning that we would be holding public gatherings on Sunday mornings some time in 2009. Wish that would have made it in there as well…

But nonetheless, its a good piece.
Here's the link if you care to read about it.

Posted in Renew